Welcome to a new kind of getaway
We’ve teamed up with exhale to create a 5-day Wildness + Wellness adventure in the remote and remarkable Channel Islands. Board the National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Sea Bird or National Geographic Venture, your floating base camp, in Los Angeles, and head for three of the five

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Base Camp Channel Islands

Experience the wilder side of California

Welcome to a new kind of getaway
We’ve teamed up with exhale to create a 5-day Wildness + Wellness adventure in the remote and remarkable Channel Islands. Board the National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Sea Bird or National Geographic Venture, your floating base camp, in Los Angeles, and head for three of the five wildlife-rich islands which make up Channel Islands National Park, plus Catalina Island. Here, you'll actively explore unmarred landscapes, revel in pure nature, and rejuvenate mind, body, and soul with exhale's award-winning wellbeing programs.

Escape the ordinary with revitalizing opportunities:

Exult in the pristine beauty of the islands and roam free in wide-open spaces

Take a leisurely trail walk with a naturalist, looking out for the astonishing number of endemic flora & fauna

Enjoy a sunset cocktail party on deck, then end the day with stargazing

Almost every national park in the U.S. is easy to get to, but the Channel Islands are separated from the mainland by miles of ocean. What we offer you is unique and effortless access—to wild beauty and pristine nature— for 5 days/4 nights, using our ship as a base camp.

And you can freely roam. Our ship is akin to a safari camp in Africa—comfortable, in the heart of things, yet mobile. Everything you want is aboard—paddleboards, kayaks and Zodiacs, a welcoming crew, smart naturalists, a wellness specialist, exhale fitness instructors, and even a Lindblad/National Geographic photo instructor to help you up your photo game and capture all the unbelievable ops.

Expect the unexpected
Our itinerary is a plan, but flexibility and spontaneity are a big part of it. Our ace spotters are always 'on it,' and if they sight a blue whale, they'll let you know—so you won’t miss a thing nature has to offer. If conditions cancel one option, a landing for example, our nimble team will have another. They might surprise you with a BBQ on deck or a dance party under stars. Your Base Camp getaway might be compact, but it's a genuine expedition, so there's always room for magic. And choice—enjoy your getaway your way.

Purpose-built to deliver the best possible expedition cruising experience, the National Geographic Quest recently wrapped up her inaugural voyages, spending the summer and early fall exploring the northern reaches of Alaska's Inside Passage and the remote islands and charming towns of the Pacific Northwest. With that noteworthy milestone under her belt, Quest will soon venture south to the tropical coasts of Costa Rica, Panama, and through the Canal to Belize. And as spring arrives she'll return north to make her maiden journey on the Columbia & Snake Rivers.

To build her we turned to Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, the company that built the beloved National Geographic Sea Bird and National Geographic Sea Lion—vessels that, with our regular maintenance schedule and recent refurbishment, have been operating successfully for decades. We are proud she was built entirely in the USA.

Additionally, the Quest cruise ship achieves some other notable firsts. She is the first ship in our fleet voyaging in these geographies with step-out balconies (available in 22 of the 50 spacious cabins), plus 6 sets of connecting cabins perfect for families and groups; and a designated mudroom for expedition gear.

Equipped for comfort and active exploration
Quest comfortably accommodates 100 guests, making her larger than the 62-guest Sea Bird and Sea Lion, but she has the same shallow draft depth, allowing us to navigate the same inner reaches and provide the same intimate experiences of the charismatic regions we explore. Her twin expedition craft landing platforms allow us to rapidly get on and off the ship to take advantage of wildlife sightings and to ensure we maximize our time off the ship exploring. Designed with decades of expedition experience in the region, the vessel also features open decks, generous windows, and specialty tools for exploration—all which bring you closer in to these pristine wilds.

A commanding view
A common constraint with wildlife viewing on a ship’s bow is that the anchoring gear takes up space and a single level allows only one row of guests to enjoy clean sightlines. Quest’s bow has been uniquely designed with the anchoring gear separated from guest space by a tiered viewing system—this enables multiple rows of guests to line the bow with unobstructed views so you won’t miss a thing. Two stairways on either side of the bow lead to an expansive observation deck one level up for a unique perspective. Or pull up a settee on the Bridge’s designated forward standing area and linger comfortably while wildlife-watching with your naturalists as you enjoy the vantage point that a ship’s bridge provides.

Why Lindblad-National Geographic?
A Lindblad-National Geographic expedition is arguably the most exhilarating overseas adventure travel experience a person can have. Nothing else comes close to approximating its authenticity and all-five-senses engagement. We offer you the world’s ultimate, authentic expedition experience: Discover the planet’s most remarkable places, accompanied by experts able to illuminate all you see, and with cool tools to use to explore up close and personal
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Why Lindblad-National Geographic?
A Lindblad-National Geographic expedition is arguably the most exhilarating overseas adventure travel experience a person can have. Nothing else comes close to approximating its authenticity and all-five-senses engagement. We offer you the world’s ultimate, authentic expedition experience: Discover the planet’s most remarkable places, accompanied by experts able to illuminate all you see, and with cool tools to use to explore up close and personally.

Venture safely to the planet’s wild, remote places
Our cruise ship fleet consists of nimble, intimately-scaled expedition ships, able to safely venture where larger cruise ships cannot. This allows us to offer authentic, up-close experiences in the planet’s wild, remote places and capitals of culture. More than comfortable as your base for exploring, our National Geographic luxury cruise ships are outfitted with cool tools that enable a genuine connection with the places we visit and offer inviting private accommodations, and gracious public spaces for our expedition community to gather.